Wednesday, December 20, 2017

It often seems that in any given year there is a
common theme among our Leadership in Motion recipients. This year is no
exception. Innovative techniques, creative solutions, and proactive leadership
were evident throughout the nominations.

This is not surprising – true leadership frequently
involves thinking outside the box and being willing to try something new. This
year’s recipients did just that.

Just a few examples:

Ada County Highway District’s (ACHD’s) Eagle Road
Bridge over Dry Creek used a new Geosynthetic Reinforced Soil-Integrated Bridge System
(GRS-IBS) technique, resulting in time and cost savings and reducing the amount of
time the road was closed to travelers.

The Idaho Transportation Department’s (ITD’s)
Interstate 84 rehabilitation project used an innovative weekend crossover
technique to minimize the impact on the traveling public.

Rachele Klein of Republic Services started a new program
to rescue bicycles from the trash and donate them to local bicycle
organizations to refurbish and use or donate.

Valley Regional Transit overcame a multitude of
hurdles to build its Main Street Station, using a forward-thinking public/private
partnership and incorporating unique artwork and design features – resulting in
a facility that is much more than simply a “bus station.”

Private citizen Sylvia Marmon drove an ACHD
Commuteride vanpool for 17 years…after driving her own private carpool for
years before that. Day after day, year after year, Sylvia proactively did her
part to encourage smart transportation options and reduce the number of
vehicles on the road.

None of these successes could have happened without
leadership that fosters innovation and encourages the adoption of new ideas.
ACHD Commission President Paul Woods and Idaho Transportation Board Member
Julie DeLorenzo both received the “Leadership by Example” award, recognizing
their roles in supporting innovation and furthering the goals of Communities in Motion.

Wednesday, August 16, 2017

In some ways, it seems like just
yesterday we were accepting nominations for, then presenting, the 2016 Leadership
in Motion awards.

Then, I start thinking about everything
that has happened in the past year and suddenly 2016 seems like a lifetime ago.
We lived through snowmageddon, then flooding. Next came the resulting damage
from both of those, affecting everything from I-84 to the Boise River Greenbelt.
Then, like a light at the end of the tunnel, came the herculean efforts to
repair that damage.

We worked together and pulled
through – neighbor helping neighbor, agency helping agency.

This spirit exemplifies what the
COMPASS Leadership in Motion awards are all about – working together for the
good of the region.

Leadership in Motion
awards recognize businesses, individuals, and projects that demonstrate
leadership in supporting the Treasure Valley’s regional long-range
transportation plan, Communities in Motion 2040. This year’s awards will recognize
efforts that occurred between July 2016 and June 2017.

As you look back at the past year,
think about those acts of leadership that you witnessed and take a moment to
nominate the individuals, projects, or businesses/nonprofits that made a
difference. The efforts or projects may have been large or small; occurred with
great fanfare or quietly behind the scenes; or been completed after years of
careful planning or urgently to meet unexpected needs.

I encourage you to look over the nomination
criteria, then take a moment to help recognize the good in your
community. Anyone may submit a nomination and anything or anyone (other than
COMPASS staff) that is implementing the goals of Communities in Motion is
eligible to be nominated.

Nominations for the 2017 COMPASS
Leadership in Motion awards will be accepted through 3:00 pm, Friday, September 29, 2017.
Awards will be presented at the COMPASS/Valley Regional Transit holiday
luncheon on Monday, December 18, 2017.

Tuesday, August 1, 2017

How many times have you
started a home improvement project and had it take longer than expected, cost
more than expected, or both?

Too many times to count?
Me too.

While that is frustrating
at home and can result in extra trips to the hardware store, the judicious use
of four letter words, and spousal arguments, the consequences are minor when
compared to similar issues for projects that cost thousands, if not millions,
of tax dollars.

If an agency wants to use
federal funding to pay for a transportation project in Ada or Canyon Counties,
they must submit a funding application to COMPASS. We also help our members
apply for other types of grant funding from both public and private sources. While
some requirements differ, funding applications of all types typically require
certain kinds of information – the scope of the project, a project schedule,
cost estimates, and more.

However, at times, an
agency will have a need, but not have the information necessary to successfully
apply for funding and not have the time, money, or expertise to pull that
information together. When that is the case, one of several things can happen:
(1) the agency simply does not apply for funding, leaving the need unmet; (2)
they apply, but are unsuccessful when competing for funding; or (3) they
successfully receive funding, but without a quality scope, schedule, and
budget, are more likely to encounter unforeseen problems with cost, timelines,
or other issues.

To help its members clear
this hurdle, COMPASS created the Project Development Program in 2015. This
program provides the expertise and funding to transform needs or ideas into well-defined projects with cost
estimates, environmental scans (required for federal funding), schedules, and
more. Projects that move through the program are poised to successfully compete
for funding and to be completed on time and on budget once funded.

I’m pleased to say that you will soon benefit from the results of these
labors.

To date, nine projects have received Project Development
Program assistance; portions of three of those are proposed for funding in the draft FY2018-2022 budget of federally funded
transportation projects, called the Regional Transportation Improvement Program,
or TIP:

Project Development Program Project

Resulting Project in Draft FY2018-2022
TIP

üChinden Boulevard
Corridor, Bicycle/Pedestrian Safety Improvements, City of Garden City

üInstall a pedestrian
hybrid beacon controlled crossing at the intersection of Chinden Boulevard
and 43rd Street

üDesign and build a
multi-use pathway to extend the City of Meridian’s Five Mile Creek Pathway by
approximately one mile, from just south of the city’s wastewater treatment
plant to Black Cat Road

Not only are these
projects recommended to receive funding – the first hurdle – but the work
conducted through project development will help ensure that they will be
completed on time and on budget, and provide you with new, safe transportation
facilities. It is important to note that while all three of these projects are
for bicycle/pedestrian facilities, the Project Development Program is open to
all types of transportation-related projects; these just happened to be the
first to receive funding.

Why am I telling you this
now? The draft FY2018-2022 TIP that I mentioned above is currently open for
public comment, along with proposed changes to Communities in Motion 2040, the regional long-range transportation
plan for Ada and Canyon Counties. In addition to the three projects discussed
here, there are over 100 other transportation projects proposed for funding in
the TIP addressing all types of transportation (roads, buses, bicycle and
pedestrian, and more) across all of Ada and Canyon Counties.

Monday, July 24, 2017

It’s that time of year
again – time to update the region’s five-year budget of transportation
projects, called the Regional Transportation Improvement Program, or TIP. Once
a year, we add new projects and make changes, when needed, to existing ones. The
draft TIP includes projects budgeted for fiscal years 2018-2022.

Right now, we are
requesting your feedback on projects in the draft FY2018-2022 TIP. You can
learn more, see the entire list of projects, and comment online here.
Comments will be accepted through Tuesday, August 15, 2017.

This year, though, we’re not
just requesting your feedback on the draft TIP, but also on several proposed
changes to the list of funded projects in Communities
in Motion 2040 (CIM 2040) – the regional long-range transportation plan for
Ada and Canyon Counties.

When a long-range
transportation plan, such as Communities
in Motion, is developed, the plan includes projects that are planned and
have funding identified to pay for them. This ensures the plan is
realistic, and not simply a wish list.

But, as you can probably
imagine, no matter how careful the planning, things change. When there are
changes to which projects have funding, we must amend the plan to reflect these
changes.

The proposed changes to
CIM 2040 come from three agencies:

Valley
Regional Transit (VRT)

VRT is proposing to design
and construct a park and ride lot and bus shelter in the City of Middleton.
This lot will replace an existing park and ride facility located in the parking
lot of a local business and is one of four identified for expansion or upgrade
in the#5 unfunded priority (regional park and ride, near term) in
CIM 2040.

Ada
County Highway District (ACHD)

ACHD’s long-term funded
projects in CIM 2040 were based on its 2012 Capital Improvements Plan – a
20-year plan of infrastructure improvements throughout Ada County. This plan
was updated in 2016. As part of that update, some projects were removed and
others were added or changed. The proposed amendment to CIM 2040 mirrors those
changes.

Idaho
Transportation Department (ITD)

ITD is proposing to add
projects based on additional funding not anticipated in 2014. Through this
funding, ITD proposes to widen State Highway 44 from Star Road to State Highway
16, US Highway 20/26 from Star Road to Locust Grove Road (divided into four
discrete projects), and State Highway 21 from Technology Way to Surprise Way.

The State Highway 44 and
US 20/26 projects would fulfill portions of the #2 (State Highway 44) and #3 (US 20/26) unfunded priorities in CIM 2040. While
other portions of these needs would remain unfunded, these projects are a
significant step toward meeting the region’s priorities. State Highway 21 is
not included in the list of unfunded priorities in CIM 2040; at this time, ITD is evaluating options for future
safety and congestion improvements.

ITD is also proposing to
remove a project that had been shown as “funded” in CIM 2040. Required
environmental studies for that project, widening State Highway 55 in Nampa from
10th Avenue to Middleton Road, have not yet begun. Without this work,
which takes several years to complete, it is premature to assume the project
will be funded within the life of CIM 2040. As we update CIM 2040 (CIM 2040
2.0), this project will again be evaluated.

I encourage you to review the details
regarding these proposed changes to CIM 2040, and review the projects in the
DRAFT FY2018-2022 TIP, and submit your comments no later than Tuesday, August
15. The COMPASS Board will be provided with all public comments before taking
action on both items in October.

Monday, April 3, 2017

This
is the third in my series of blogs highlighting our unfunded transportation priorities.
Click or scroll down to read my first two – on Interstate
84 and State Highway 44.

Today, I’m focusing on COMPASS’ #3 unfunded priority -- US 20/26; also known as Chinden
Boulevard in Ada County. If you’ve looked at my two previous “unfunded
priority” blogs, you’ve probably started to notice a theme – our top three
unfunded priorities happen to be the three primary east/west travel routes in
Ada and Canyon Counties.

Is this a coincidence? No.

It’s probably not a
surprise either, given the geography of our valley – most of our population and
jobs, and therefore our regional transportation needs, follow an east/west
alignment. So far, we have looked at I-84, the southernmost east/west route in
the two-county region, and State Highway 44, the northernmost east/west route
in the region. Today, we’re looking at US 20/26 – the route in the middle.

While US 20/26 is in need of improvement now –
to accommodate today’s users – it is only going to get worse as we grow.

By 2040, traffic along US 20/26 is expected to
double (or more) between Middleton Road in Caldwell and Linder Road in
Meridian, and increase by a whopping 80% from Linder Road to Eagle Road.
Today’s 25-minute commute from Middleton Road to Glenwood Street in Boise will
take you an hour by 2040 if improvements are not made.

The overall increase in
population of the two counties will account for some of this increase in demand.
There will be more people needing to get from Point A in the west to Point B in
the east and vice versa. However, compounding this general increase in
population is the significant forecasted growth along the corridor itself.

From Middleton Road to
Locust Grove (Meridian), the population along the US 20/26 corridor is expected
to more than triple, from just under 9,000 in 2013 to over 29,000 in 2040,
while employment in the same area is expected to increase six-fold (!) from 1,300 jobs in 2013 to 8,200 in
2040.

So, what’s being done about it?

The Idaho Transportation Department (ITD) has
been studying US 20/26 from I-84 in Caldwell to Eagle Road in Boise, and has
developed an Environmental Assessment – a study that must be completed before
any construction can begin. The Environmental Assessment includes recommended
roadway improvements and right-of-way needs for the corridor between now and
2040. The final public comment opportunity on this assessment was just
completed. Information on the Environmental Assessment can be found online at apps.itd.idaho.gov/apps/us2026CorridorStudy/default.html.

However, while the
Environmental Assessment is a necessary first step, the lack of funding for the
majority of the corridor is still the elephant in the room.

Some minor
improvements are funded. These projects – restoring the pavement between Borchers
Lane in Caldwell and Locus Grove Road, adding right turn lanes at three
intersections in Canyon County and a new signal at Franklin Road, and replacing
a bridge over the Phyllis Canal near Meridian – are slated to occur between
2017 and 2021. However, only one project to increase the capacity of the
roadway is funded.

That project – widening
by adding one lane in each direction between Locust Grove Road and Eagle Road (State
Highway 55) is budgeted for construction in 2021, pending approval of the
Environmental Assessment. The remainder of the planned widening and related
improvements remains unfunded. ITD anticipates constructing these projects
through a phased approach between now and 2040, but that can only happen if
funding becomes available.

With continued growth, but without needed transportation improvements,
we will spend more and more time in our cars, and less and less time with
family and friends. Let’s continue to work for a solution to meet our
transportation funding needs.

Monday, March 20, 2017

As I discussed in my November
17 post, I am writing a series of quarterly blogs discussing
trends and key data from the 2016 Change
in Motion report. This is the second in that
series. You can find the first, on housing affordability, here.

Whether you are
a parent taking your toddler to the jungle gym, a weekend warrior playing

on a
city-league softball team, or someone who simply enjoys a nice walk by the
river, we all benefit from the Treasure Valley’s vast number of parks.

Between the two
counties, we have nearly 5,900 acres of public parks, in addition to private
parks (e.g., those owned by neighborhood associations) and vast open spaces,
such as the foothills and Morley Nelson Birds of Prey National Conservation
Area. As of 2015, those 5,900 acres of public parks equated to 9.1 acres for
every 1,000 people in the Treasure Valley.

In Communities in Motion 2040, COMPASS set
a target of more than 10 acres of public parks per 1,000 people by 2040; a
target that is consistent with national standards.
While the current ratio of 9.1 per 1,000 is close to our target of 10,
it is actually a decrease from our 2013 ratio of 9.8 per 1,000.

This
begs two questions: (1) Why does a transportation plan have a target for parks
in the first place? (2) Why did the ratio decrease? Are we losing parks?

Communities in Motion
2040
is different from COMPASS’ previous long-range transportation plans. COMPASS
recognizes that you cannot plan for the transportation future of a region in a
vacuum, so the plan not only addresses transportation, but also includes elements
that affect, and are affected by, transportation. One of these elements is open
space, which includes public parks.

To
that end, Communities in Motion 2040
includes a goal to, “[p]romote
development and transportation projects that protect and provide all of the
region’s population with access to open space, natural resources, and trails.”

While
parks and open space have many environmental and other benefits related to
their simple existence (think of the pleasure of seeing the foothills out your
window, even if you don’t ever set foot in them), most areas designated as “parks”
are designed to be “used” by people, from playing soccer or Frisbee to picnicking
or simply relaxing in the outdoors. From this standpoint, they are of limited benefit
if the users can’t get to them. A robust transportation system is needed to ensure
that people, of all walks of life, can access our public parks – by car, by
bike, on foot, or by bus.

On
the flip side, public parks and other open spaces and pathways, such as the
Boise River Greenbelt, contribute to our transportation system by providing
opportunities for active transportation. For example, during 2016, COMPASS’
automated bicycle counters recorded an average of over 550 cyclists using the
Boise River Greenbelt during the morning commute (6 am – 9 am) each weekday.

So,
if parks are so important, why we are moving away from our target? First, let
me assure you that this doesn’t mean we are losing parks. What it does mean is
that our parks aren’t keeping up with our population. It’s a simple math
equation. Our population increased rapidly, but the acreage of parks didn’t
increase proportionally, so the acres per 1,000 people decreased. To reach our
goal, our acreage of parks needs to increase at a faster rate than our
population.

We’ll
continue to monitor this trend, and hopefully can report in the future that we
have reversed direction and are moving closer to our 10 acres per 1,000 people
goal.

In
the meantime, we do have almost 5,900 wonderful acres of parks. After a long,
harsh winter let’s all get outside and enjoy them!

Wednesday, February 8, 2017

This
is the second in my series of blogs highlighting our unfunded priorities. Based
on the combination of expected growth and unfunded needs, COMPASS has ranked
State Highway 44/State Street as the #2
unfunded priority corridor in Ada and Canyon Counties – second
only to I-84 in Canyon County (read my I-84 blog here).

Do you listen to the traffic reports on
the radio in the morning or evening? If so, you hear the same phrase I do every
day: “Traffic is backed up in the usual places along State Street…”

The State Highway 44/State Street corridor connects Canyon County and western Ada County with the City of Boise. In fact, it is the only east/west commuter route
north of the Boise River that connects Ada and Canyon Counties. In addition to
the average of 7,000 (western end) to 35,000 (eastern end) vehicles per day
that travel this roadway, it also boasts the region’s most-used bus route.

Needless
to say, State Highway 44/State Street is busy and congested, and it is only going
to get worse.

Growth
in the Cities of Middleton, Star, and Eagle is expected to bring dramatic
increases in traffic and congestion, which will impact all modes of travel in
the corridor. The overall population along the corridor is forecasted to double
from approximately 30,000 today to over 60,000 by 2040.

Traffic
is expected to increase four-fold on the western end of the corridor near
Middleton and to double on the eastern end of the corridor in downtown Boise by
2040.

The
average driving time between Middleton Road and downtown Boise is projected to more
than double by 2040 – from 35 minutes in 2013 to 75 minutes in 2040.

Includes capital improvements, increased
service frequency, pedestrian and bike facility improvements, additional public
transportation amenities, and other related improvements

Without additional transportation
funding, improvements that would serve the transportation needs of current and
future Treasure Valley residents will remain unfunded. COMPASS will continue to
advocate for increased transportation funding to meet these needs, so that we Don’t Let the Treasure Valley Fall through
the Cracks.

Tuesday, January 17, 2017

I have been repeating that same mantra
for years. If every household contributed an extra $2 per day, we could meet
our unfunded transportation needs. But what does that really mean to
residents of Ada and Canyon Counties? What would you get out of the deal?

Over the next few months, I am going to
highlight our highest unfunded priorities – projects that we desperately need,
if only we had the funding. I’m starting with our highest priority, I-84 in
Canyon County.

It probably comes
as no surprise that Interstate 84 in Canyon County between western Caldwell and Franklin Boulevard in Nampa is the region’s top priority. Both
safety and congestion are serious issues and will only get worse as time goes by.
Between 2008 and 2015 alone, there were 950 total crashes in that segment –
that’s an average of 119 per year!

“The area is in DESPERATE need of repair
and widening. Congestion is a MESS and the road is totally TORN UP with deep
cracks EVERYWHERE making it a hazard for us the daily travelers!”

“I drove this section of the Interstate
just this past week, and was appalled at the condition of the roadway, which is
under constant heavy use not only by local residents, but also by huge numbers
of out-of-state travelers and truckers.”

“The Nampa-to-Caldwell freeway… is not
just a ‘cosmetic’ concern--it is a real safety issue, which must not be
ignored…”

“As a Nampa resident, I normally avoid
this part of the freeway because of the roughness of the pavement and because
of the hassles of merging onto it.”

“The 3-lane to 2-lane neck-down west
bound in Nampa is dangerous (crazy, impatient drivers) and congested. While
that bottleneck is truly an annoyance, I am more concerned with the road
condition between Nampa/Caldwell.”

What may surprise
you is the price tag: over $330 million, based on ITD's most current cost estimate. To make
matters worse, the longer we wait, the more it will cost.

What would
this mean to you? You
would have a less congested and safer commute. The current bottleneck where the
interstate transitions from six lanes to four lanes would be eliminated. Additional
side benefits would likely include relieving congestion on the Caldwell-Nampa
Boulevard and making public transportation services more efficient.

But, $330 million in a lot of money. To put this into perspective, in 2015 the Idaho
Legislature passed House Bill 312, which raised the Idaho fuel tax and vehicle registration
fees. This increase added an additional $95 million per year statewide. This annual
statewide total is only 29% of what would be needed to widen I-84.

I appreciate
what was accomplished in the 2015 Legislature, but it’s not enough to pay for
these types of large projects. I often hear from people, “you raised my taxes,
now fix it” or “if they really wanted to, ITD would find a way to pay for it.”

It’s not that
simple. Believe it or not, ITD doesn’t have an extra $330 million just sitting
around. That said, they are constantly working on finding ways to fund at least
part of that section of I-84.

With COMPASS,
ITD has applied for several federal competitive grants to complete sections of
the work. While those grants so far have been unsuccessful, we keep trying. At
the same time, we also continue to ask the Idaho Legislature to augment its
2015 increase with additional, sustainable funding so that this, and other much
needed projects, do not continue to get kicked down the road.

Wednesday, January 11, 2017

Last month when
we presented our annual Leadership in Motion awards, it occurred to me that we
should share these types of success stories more than just once a year. So, I’m
going to use my blog to highlight notable projects or programs, large and
small, that showcase the amazing work that happens every day in the Treasure
Valley.

Most of you
know the story of the Broadway Bridge – the old 1956 bridge had outlived its
useful life. It was deemed “structurally deficient” and was no longer able to
accommodate the 24,000+ vehicles and countless bicyclists and pedestrians that
crossed it every day.

There was
little, if any, dispute of the need for rebuilding the bridge. However,
decisions regarding how to tear down and rebuild a new bridge that would accommodate
all users, and do so with minimal disruption, were not as straightforward. These
decisions could make or break the project. Ultimately they were the hallmark of
its success.

The Idaho
Transportation Department’s extensive, ongoing, and honest conversations with local
stakeholders – the public, Boise State University, the City of Boise, adjacent
businesses, Ada County Highway District (ACHD), and more – were instrumental in
shaping the final design of the bridge. From start to finish, ITD went above
and beyond to include and educate anyone and everyone who would be affected by
the bridge replacement.

ITD closed the
bridge on January 4, 2016, with a goal to open the new bridge before the first Boise
State home football game in September. Could a project of this magnitude, with
so many moving parts, really be completed in nine months?

Yes,
it could. Again, the key was open communication and cooperation. Without
assistance and partnerships with ACHD, the City of Boise, Boise State
University, and neighboring businesses, the project could not have been built
with such precision and on such a tight timetable.

So,
how did ITD foster an open and ongoing dialogue with its stakeholders to make
this project such a success? With an extensive and far-reaching public
involvement strategy that included:

Working
closely with local businesses to minimize impact. In fact, business owners
praised ITD for its efforts to keep them “in the loop,” and its timely response
to questions and problems.

Widely
distributing information on the closure, detours, and status updates on
construction. You would have been hard pressed to find someone who did not know
the Broadway Bridge was under construction.

Conducting
community workshops that ultimately helped ITD make the decision to construct
the bridge through a complete road closure, as opposed to a phased construction
with partial closures, and include wide bike lanes and sidewalks and keep the
greenbelt under the bridge open to the river.

Coordinating
with partners to keep traffic flowing on alternate routes, re-route the
greenbelt, and keep business access open.

The
new bridge was built to serve all users, is attractively designed, includes
greenbelt access on all four corners…and was built in just nine months. None of
this could have happened without the commitment to an open dialogue, clear
communication, and partnership toward a common goal by not only ITD, but its
partners, adjacent businesses, and the public.

Community Planning Association of Southwest Idaho

COMPASS is the designated Metropolitan Planning Organization responsible for transportation planning in Ada and Canyon Counties. The COMPASS Board comprises 39 members representing the cities, counties, highway districts, educational institutions, state agencies, and other entities within the two counties. COMPASS plays an important role in making decisions about future long-range transportation needs in the Treasure Valley, taking into consideration environmental and economic factors that affect the quality of life.

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Matt Stoll, Executive Director

Matt Stoll has been the Executive Director of the Community Planning Association of Southwest Idaho (COMPASS) since 2004. Under Matt’s direction, COMPASS has focused on developing and retaining collaborative and cooperative partnerships with local, state, and federal planning agencies and with Treasure Valley communities.

Matt has a Bachelor of Arts degree in geography from the State Univer­sity of New York and a Master of Arts degree in geography from Arizona State University. He is married with two daughters and is active in the Treasure Valley com­munity through his involvement in volunteer and non-profit organizations.

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